Understanding the enemy
by maidenmaniac1
Summary: A rich roman's daughter is kidnapped by Woads, Arthur promises to help get her back but things prove difficult as they attempt to find out wher she's been taken... Rated for future chapters
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own King Arthur okay! So please don't sue me (not that you would get much money anyway…)!**

**Right, first ever fanfic so please review, no flames but constructive criticism welcome! Please notify me of grammatical errors as I am very bad on that sort of thing…**

The carriage trundled along the muddy road jerking and shuddering, the wheels squeaked and the occupants were thrown unceremoniously around inside.

"Must this be so uncomfortable?" complained a well dressed neat woman with an air of pompous arrogance around her.

"I do not know madam." Answered her maid nervously, "but doubtless it shall be over soon…"

"I certainly hope so." Sniffed the well dressed women. "I don't think I shall be able to stand another hour of this mouldy old carriage the governor provided, shuddering and shaking its way through this feral country."

She peered out of the window, her eyes taking in the bleak hills and the wild woods. Despite her mistresses words the maid couldn't help admire the barren beauty of the place, with its tumbling streams and rocky peaks, and green moors as far as the eye could see, apart from where the forests grew. The maid sighed; it was so very different from Rome, without the hustle and bustle of city life, nor the greasy air or the pungent smell. She thought it was quite perfect.

A Roman Decurion rode up to the carriage. "Madam," He said nervously. "Could you please tell your children to come closer to the escort? It is not safe around here, only when we reach the wall should you let your children roam."

"Nonsense Decurion!" She snapped. "What could those barbarian savages possibly do against Rome's finest soldiers?" She looked around impressively. "You needn't worry; we are quite safe I assure you!"

The Decurion had to bite his lip to suppress a retort, but he contented himself with a grumble as he rode away, he had long since learnt to keep on the good side of Rome's nobility.

The Roman lady looked around fondly had her offspring, Caecillius with his handsome face and messy hair, Metella with her pale skin and delicate features and Juliet with her carefree and loud manner, playing together near the stream that ran alongside the road, running and laughing under the summer sun, It really made her happy and she smiled, pleased with bringing up such wonderful children.

Still, she wasn't overly pleased. Why her husband had decided to send her north to see Hadrian's war while he dealt with politics in Londinium she simply didn't know, but it was not a Roman woman's place to question her husbands decisions so she decided to take the children with her to meet the legendry Artorious Castus and his knights.

Suddenly an arrow flew out of nowhere embedding itself in a Roman soldier's chest and knocking him off his horse, a cry went up and a volley of arrows came from the woods downing yet more Romans and a band of warriors covered in intricate designs of blue paint leapt forth from the trees.

"Protect the carriage!" Screamed the Decurion. "Protect it with your lives, children, come here"

The children made for the carriage quickly but Juliet tripped and crashed hard into the ground.

"Juliet" Screamed the Roman lady "come here now, somebody help her!" Two soldiers rushed forwards but the Woads reached her first. One picked her up and rushed back into the woods.

"Juliet" Screamed the Roman lady. "Merciful god, someone do something!" A group of Roman soldiers rushed forward at once but were immediately set upon by the Woads who attacked them with hatred burning deep within their eyes; though the Romans were disciplined and well trained they were soon felled by the sheer ferocity of the assault.

The Roman soldiers were nearly overwhelmed in the ensuing chaos but then the voice of the Decurion rose above the clash of steel on steel. "God be praised, it is Arthur and his knights!" Everybody stopped fighting for a moment and turned their head to where the Decurion was brandishing his sword.

There indeed were a group of Sarmatian knights thundering across the green in battle formation, bellowing there battle cry: "Ruuuuuuuuusssss!"

The Woads starting fighting with renewed vigour for they all feared the deadly Knights but before they could reach the carriage the horsemen crashed into them scattering the blue warriors. Arthur at their head they started butchering the natives.

A horn went up from the woods and the Woads Started to flee back into the trees, seeming content to have captured at least one Roman and a rich child at that.

"Artorious!" Shouted the Decurion, "Capture one, we need answers!"

Arthur nodded his head and strode up to where a Woad was still fighting Lancelot. He calmly put Excalibur to the Warriors neck and the native froze.

"Is Madam Lucilla alright?" Arthur calmly asked the Decurion. As if in answer to this question Lucilla burst out of the carriage door distraught and in tears.

"Juliet, they took my little Juliet!" She sobbed.

Despite their loathing of upper class Romans, the knights couldn't help to feel pity for the Roman lady, this however was washed aside when they thought of their homes, being taken away at a young age to probably die for a land not their own.

Arthur, as always was in control. "Madam" He began in a low voice, "If your daughter is still alive we'll get her back, I assure you!"

"But how will you know if she's still alive?" Sobbed Lucilla hysterically.

"We will question the captured warrior" Said Arthur Solemnly.

"You captured a warrior? Where?" Lucilla looked around wildly, and then for the first time her gaze fell upon the Woad prisoner.

"But" Lucilla stuttered "She's a woman"

"Oh yes, didn't you know?" Said Arthur with his eyebrows raised, "In the Woad culture the woman often fight alongside the men."

"But their still ladies!" said Lucilla in a shocked voice.

"Oh but they ain't no _Ladies!_" Muttered Bors.

"A bit like dear Vanora them" said Lancelot with a sly grin.

Bors made towards Lancelot with a murderous look in his eye but Arthur got between them.

"Bors, Lancelot." Said Arthur seriously, "This is not the time."

They both sobered up immediately but Bors kept on glaring daggers at Lancelot.

"I repeat you madam," Arthur said again, "If she is still alive we will find out."

"I will never betray my people you Roman dogs!" The Woad spat. "I would rather die than become a traitor to my kin!"

A Roman soldier immediately hit her across the face and in retaliation she seized his dagger and stabbed it in his chest and he fell away, dead. She was instantly restrained by the knights and bundled on the back of the horse, with her hands and feet tied up.

"Bors, Dagonet. I want you to watch her."

Bors grunted and Dagonet nodded his head in response.

The caravan then set of north to Hadrian's Wall…

**Well how was that for my first chapter? I've just realised that it's 3 in the morning so I had better be getting some sleep! Sorry for all the grammatical errors but I'm awful on that sort of thing and by all means point the errors out.**

**Like I said at the start, no flames but constructive criticism welcome and needed.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I think everybody knows I don't own King Arthur!**

**Please read and review, I'm open to criticism but not flames!**

They reached the wall after two hours and the Woad was immediately thrown into the dungeon and kept under heavy guard. Arthur, as commander of the Knights found himself with the painful duty of comforting lady Lucilla while his men set off for the tavern.

"My lady, please calm yourself." He said softly to a hysterical Lucilla.

"How can you say that?" She screamed. "My daughter could be getting ripped apart by those bloodthirsty savages and you want me to sit here and do nothing?"

"My lady, please." Said Arthur wearily. He looked very tired and drawn. "If they want her alive then she will be alive and unharmed, if they wanted her dead she will already be with god."

Lucilla took several deep breaths and then collapsed back into a chair.

Arthur went over to a cabinet and took out a bottle, he poured two glasses and handed one to Lucilla.

"Drink this, you'll feel better." he told her

She knocked it back and he followed suit. She then put her head in her hands and wept. Arthur put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry," he said softly. "my experience has taught me that if they wanted to kill her they would have done it then and their, she is probably being kept captive somewhere north of here."

"But how shall we find out where she is?" Lucilla sobbed.

"That's what the prisoner is for" he told her softly.

"Then let's start the questioning immediately!" She explained and made to get up but Arthur put a restraining hand on her shoulder.

"You need your rest my lady," he said quietly. "we have nothing to lose by waiting until morning.

Lucilla nodded slowly and sank back into the chair.

The sound of the tavern exploded into the night as its patrons went about there business. The ale was flowing and the knights sat in there normal spot drinking like there was no tomorrow.

"And so it was me against fifty of them but I still won" Bors bellowed. "Isn't that how it was Lancelot?"

"No." said Lancelot. "If I remember correctly it was you against three drunken teenagers who looked as though they had never seen ale before."

"Yeah, well." Bors grunted. "been on this island so long things are hard to keep track of." His slurred speech and outrageous boasts were the only indication of the enormous amount of alcohol he had just consumed.

"Bors," said Gawain vaguely. "The only heroic feat I remember you performing was punching that arrogant bastard of a roman when we had just set of from home, you called it heroism the rest of us called it stupidity."

"At least I can get a girl Gawain" He said as he pulled Vanora onto his knee.

Vanora slapped him. "Get off, I'm trying to work!" She complained and jumped off.

"At least I can keep one" replied Gawain; grinning as he stroked the wench he'd just pulled on to his lap.

"Arthur!" cried Jols suddenly and the tavern went quiet as everyone peered around.

"Arthur" repeated Bors, "Come and have a drink!"

Arthur shook his head, "Knights," he said in a low voice. "You need to get some sleep, it is probable that we will soon be setting out to find lady Lucilla's missing daughter, but I am not your mother!" his face broke into a grin but he quickly sobered.

"I needed a word with Tristan." he finished.

"Why?" asked Lancelot curiously.

"I need to discuss the interrogation arrangements," Arthur replied. "Tristan, can you come with me?"

Tristan nodded and followed Arthur to the gatehouse.

"Certainly his line of work." Muttered Galahad.

"I'm not risking my arse going after some spoilt Roman brat" Bors said carelessly.

Lancelot nodded his head. "So some rich roman child has been taken, what a tragedy" he sneered sarcastically.

"She's only eleven" said Dagonet softly.

"And how many sons of Sarmatia have been taken by the Romans, never to return?" Said Bors. "You're a good warrior and a wonderful mate Dag, but you're too bloody soft!"

The next morning the knights accompanied Arthur and Lady Lucilla down to the dungeons. The Woad looked up at them as they entered her cell and hatred burned in her eyes.

"We are here to ask one simple question," Arthur said calmly, "Where have they taken Juliet?"

"Give me one good reason to provide you with an answer." The Woad said coldly.

"Because otherwise we shall have to force it out of you," replied Arthur "and that is not something I wish to do but believe me, I will do whatever is necessary to get that information."

"Go on then," she replied coolly, "because you won't get a word out of me!"

Arthur nodded and Bors and Dagonet went and held the Woad upright.

"Please, do not make this harder for yourself." said Arthur.

"Go to hell you Roman bastard!" She spat back.

Arthur nodded again and Tristan landed a solid blow to the Woads face, she breathed deeply and stared up at him defiantly with her right eye throbbing.

When she failed to speak, Tristan kept the blows coming until Arthur commanded him to stop; he then left the dungeon warning her to rethink her decision about keeping silent. She told all of them to do something so obscene that Bors would have leapt on her had he not been restrained by Dagonet and Gawain.

Later on that day they were interrogating her further. Though not serious in the long-term, Tristan's blows were accurate and precise and were starting to take there toll on the Woad. She knew she must escape and soon a plot soon started forming in her mind; though risky, she knew it was the only chance she had.

**Sorry that it took so long to update! Hopefully it shouldn't be do long until next time!**


	3. Chapter 4

**Thanks to all my reviewers especially AlsionMichelle for asking me to guide the story in a different direction, I am going to take your advice and go with Juliet! I hope you enjoy and please leave a review!**

Juliet struggled in the woad's arms. She bit, kicked and screamed but could do nothing to release his grip. They had been travelling north for half a day and Juliet was terrified. She desperately wanted to get back to her mother but any thought of escape was quelled by the vicious looks the Woads sent her. They finally stopped to rest just before sundown and she was tossed down like a sack of potatoes; her arms were bound and there was little she could do.

A huge bearlike Woad approached and he raised his axe menacingly.

"You will be cared for by Justina" he said, pointing to a tall woman with long black hair and watchful grey eyes. "I suggest you give her no trouble for your own sake!"

Juliet nodded mutely and stared in wonder at the war paint that covered her new guard. She approached and threw down some bread and a goatskin flask.

"Eat" she spat, "we can't have you dying; not yet anyway!" The woman laughed darkly and sat next to the petrified Roman child.

"What's your name outlander?" she enquired.

"Juliet miss!" squeaked the little girl.

"Juliet!" The Woad grimaced. "Well you are no longer _Juliet_" Said the Woad spitting out the name like it was something foul in her mouth. "I shall call you little cub and like a small wolf follows her mother everywhere she goes you shall follow me. I am the wolf mother and I have _very_ sharp teeth. Do you understand Roman?"

Juliet nodded yet again.

"Get some sleep little cub." Said the Woad with a glint in her eye. "You're going to need it.

They travelled for most of the next day, resting only for minutes; the whole journey was a nightmare for Juliet and was made no better by Justina. Every time she tripped or lagged behind there would be cursing and sometimes blows. "Hurry up little cub", "get your face of the ground little cub" or "do that one more time and the little cub will lose a paw!"

She longed to be back in Rome with her nurse and her mother but here there was no comfort, no one to sooth her aches and only the threat of Justina kept Juliet going.

As they settled down to rest for the night Juliet was knocked flat by a knee in the small of her back. She looked up and her eyes were filled with tears.

"Why are you doing this?" She sobbed. "Why must you be so cruel?"

Justina simply smiled a twisted smile.

"Because you are the enemy!" She laughed. "Because you come to our land and burn our fields. Because you come to our land and murder our people. Because you have raped our country; bled it dry and we want it back!"

"But I have done none of these things you speak of!" cried Juliet. "I am innocent!"

Justina just stood there looking down at her with her eyes showing not on drop of pity.

"Maybe so but your father is a senator." He will give us what we want and he will get his daughter back."

"He won't bargain with you!" Juliet cried. "He never does deals with enemies!"

"Then we will send him a finger!" Justina said with an edge to her voice. "Or possibly your ear. And that will just be the beginning!"

The next day Jusina informed her that they were approaching the village.

"You will treat the chief with respect." She whispered into Juliet's ear. "If you don't then the wolf will get very angry."

The village was situated on a hill which was itself placed in the middle of a valley. A stream ran by its side Juliet could see women washing there clothes there, men returning from the forest carrying wood and children chasing each other and playing in the water.

They walked through the village and Juliet looked around at the huts. They looked primitive but on closer inspection she could tell that they were expertly built.

The chief's hut was the largest of them and was placed in the centre of the village. Juliet took a deep breath and walked in…

Meanwhile, south of the wall, Arthur Castus was preparing another interrogation and he was getting desperate.

**Please read and review!!! Please inform me of any grammar mistakes and likewise with the spelling! Any suggestions for the plot will be greatly appreciated!**


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